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Welcome to our News Page, where you can read the latest bulletins, sign up to our E-zine newsletters and view press releases.
Christopher Brooks Memorial Prize
Closing Date: 1 Feb.2010
We are inviting applications for our 6th annual Young Composers Award.
Young Composer in Residence 09/10, Andrew John Smith, began his residency with the orchestra with his premiere of "The Sword in the Stone," a new work for children. The work was performed at the Preston Arts Festival and the Grand in Clitheroe and was narrated by actress Amy Worth and directed by Lyn Fletcher.
We encourage any young composers to contact us for more details.
Read more...
The Sound Playground
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded £100,000 from Grants for the Arts by Arts Council England for "The Sound Playground." During the 2-year project, musicians will work with pre-school children, families and childcare practitioners in Burnley to establish long term music programmes in children's centres and create high quality music resources. More details soon!
Christopher Brooks Memorial Prize
Closing Date: 2 Feb.2009
The deadline is fast approaching for our 5th annual Young Composers Award.
Young Composer in Residence 08/09, Michael Cutting, has been involved in a number of exciting projects and commissions since winning the 2008 Award. We encourage any young composers to contact us for more details.
Read more...
Mini-Mozart Christmas Series
We have given Mini-Mozart a seasonal twist, jingle bells and all. There are baby concerts to catch before Christmas and dozens more in the New Year. Keep an eye on the website calendar to find out where he’s performing next.
Morecambe and Back
Just before Christmas, Morecambe Bay Primary School hosted the premiere of a film project led by CLEO (Cumbria and Lancashire Education Online). Our young composer in residence, Michael Cutting, worked with our musicians and children from the school to compose and record soundtracks for some turn-of-the-century footage of Morecambe by Mitchell & Kenyon. The results were stunning and I do encourage you to view them:
www.cleo.net.uk/resource/mk
Big Draw at the Preston Arts Festival:
We’re offering families and artists the chance to join us for a Big Draw (2.30-5.30pm) on Sat.11th at the Minster. Last year we welcomed 60 artists of all ages to our rehearsal and exhibited the works at the evening concert. Huge fun and a great way to introduce children to music. The Big Draw is free and artists can buy a £1 ticket for the evening concert.
What's in a NAME?!
Frankly, it has been bothering us for a while... but many people break into a cold sweat when faced with speaking our name out loud. Feedback from our sympathetic Box Office staff tells us that ticket buyers will do ANYTHING to avoid saying "Sinfonietta".
Can you pronounce it? Can you spell it? Or do you love getting your lips round the Italian vowels?
We know you have the answers - let us know what YOU think!
Read more & Email your opinion...
Carnival des Animaux - CD Rom Released!
Lancashire Sinfonietta and Lancashire & Cumbria Music Services are proud to announce the release of a groundbreaking resource for Primary Schools:
Carnival des Animaux
Carnival of the Animals
by Saint Saens
Inspired by this classical piece, first written in 1886, the Lancashire Sinfonietta in partnership with Tuned-in.org educational website has developed a unique resource for teachers, using CD Rom, DVD, podcasts, online material and video-conferencing.
Live projects will include personal visits from professional musicians of the Lancashire Sinfonietta, African drummers, an Indian dancer and even a Hip-Hop performance poet. The project is also being supported through interaction with real animals with day visits to safari parks and aquariums led by animal experts.
Between January and March, there will be unique opportunities for primary schools across Lancashire and Cumbria not only to interpret The Carnival of the Animals through music, dance, science, design and literature, but also to get involved in lots of different ways.
The pinnacle of the project ends with an interactive musical concert involving over 2000 children across the two counties in Preston Guildhall planned for March 17th 2008.
Read more...
View Video Trailer...
Sketch the Sinfonietta - The Big Draw
Join the Sinfonietta for a special event at the PRESTON ARTS FESTIVAL on Sat.13 October in Preston Minster.
The orchestra is opening its doors during rehearsal for budding artists to
sketch the musicians at work. Paper and charcoal will be provided and the workshop is FREE. The pictures will be displayed at the evening concert and participating artists may buy a £1.00 ticket to come to the concert.
Music regularly flows through the brush strokes when the Sinfonietta invites local artists and students to join the orchestra during their concert preparations. The sessions are enjoyable, inspiring and challenging, whether it's an abstract interpretation of sound or following the beautiful form of the instruments.
(Suitable for ALL ages & abilities)
"Sketch the Sinfonietta"
Saturday 13 October 2007
3.00-5.00pm Workshop (FREE!)
7.30pm Concert & Exhibition (£1.00 for artists)
NB. As this is a live rehearsal, we kindly request silence during the workshop.
Contact: Email Rosy Williams for details
Visit The Big Draw website...
Mini-Mozart Concerts Alert!
The success of our concerts for babies "Mini-Mozart" has taken Lancashire by storm!
If you want to see the Mozart effect on your baby with our amazing live musicians, get down to the Maden Centre (Bacup) on Sat.7th July for their Open Day.
Concerts at 10am and 11.30am (*NB Places may be restricted)
For Maden Centre Event details click here.
Read More about Mini-Mozart Concerts for Babies click here.
Lancashire Young Composer of the Year 2007
Gemma Wild is our Christopher Brooks Memorial Prize winner for the 2007/08 season. Gemma is the orchestra's new "Young Composer in Residence" and is currently working on her first commission which the orchestra will premiere in Morecambe on 23rd June.
Gemma will also work closely with the Education Team throughout the season and will be involved in "Carnival" in the Autumn term.
Competition was tough this year with more applicants than ever before and it was satisfying to unearth so much compositional talent in the North West. The Sinfonietta is currently setting up a Young Composer's Mentoring Scheme to give these young musicians access to the resources and support of the Sinfonietta.
Details of the 2008 Competition can be found on our webpage:
Christopher Brooks Memorial Prize 2008
Mini-Mozart Sells Out!
The massive success of Mini-Mozart has been really exciting!
Five Children's Centres across Lancashire received free concerts in the Spring, and almost all were sold out with waiting lists. The Centres packed as many babies and parents in as possible - nightmare, some might think, to have +20 babies together in a room full of noise...
But the music, props and games soothed every baby (and every mum & dad!) and the atmosphere was magical.
The sessions have been designed with 0-18month old babies in mind and the quartet of musicians lead a workshop, based on the Four Seasons.
The audience can come and see the instruments up close at the end and everyone takes home a leaflet with information about music and your child and a free Sinfonietta CD including games and songs from the session.
These concerts, in partnership with Lancashire Sure Start Children's Services, will be extended following the summer 2007.
Email us to receive the latest Mini-Mozart dates
New CD Released as FREE Download!
The Sinfonietta is very proud to announce the
release of their new Handel and Telemann recording.
For the first time, the orchestra's music is being
offered online as a FREE download.
The disc features a dream team of soloists and musicians - Principal Viola, David Aspin; Mezzo Jane Irwin; Director, Bradley Creswick - all expertly crafted and produced by award-winning Producer, Andrew Keener.
This is a truly stunning recording and will become a valued (and much played!) addition to any record collection.
Bach Ambassadors serenade Xmas Shoppers
Lucky shoppers in malls and supermarkets in Lancaster,
Clitheroe and Preston might catch a glimpse of
one of our Bach Ambassadors during December.
We are sending these fine musicians out into the
community to serenade shoppers with a bit of pre-Christmas
music therapy. They will be promoting our forthcoming
concerts whilst introducing a whole new audience
to the music of J.S.Bach. Voted "Composer
of the Millennium", Bach is the ultimate ambassador
for Classical music, and the orchestra will be
performing his incredible Concerto for Two Violins
in December.
(As featured by Classic FM)
Royal Gala Raises £30k
for Prince's Trust
Aled & Fiona Sinclair (General
Manager) toast a great evening.
One of the highlights of the season has certainly been the huge success of the Royal Midsummer Gala Concert - a special event created with the help of the Sinfonietta to raise funds for the Prince's Trust.
Aled Jones led the evening and presented a gorgeous programme of songs and choral pieces which had the audience singing along by the end. The special Royal Guest for the evening, Princess Alexandra was beaming all night!
Leader Lyn Fletcher held an enrapt audience with her mesmerising "Lark Ascending" and Philippa Hyde, the gorgeous wife of conductor, Richard Tanner, treated listeners to a selection of vocal fireworks, including Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate.
The Lancashire Sinfonietta helped to raise nearly £30,000
for the Prince's Trust, and we are delighted to
have contributed to such a worthy cause.
Sinfonietta Young Composer in Residence 2006-07
From left:
Judith Brooks (Hon. Patron), Hayley Mitchell (Runner-up),
Jonathan Hoyle (Winner 2006), Richard Hooper (Executive
Chairman).
The second award winner of the Christopher Brooks Memorial Prize has been announced as 16 year old Jonathan Hoyle. The young composer from Burnley is also a keen violinist and judges were impressed by Jonathan's stylish and beautifully crafted "Waltz", a work specially written for the Lancashire Sinfonietta. The piece was rehearsed and directed in two concerts in June by Lyn Fletcher (Guest Director and Leader of the Hallé) and were warmly received. The concerts also featured the work of the competition runner up, Hayley Mitchell, whose "Gaia" was also enjoyed by audiences in Fleetwood.
Jonathan's piece has won him a £1,000 bursary towards his musical studies and he was presented with a cheque at the premiere in Fleetwood Marine Hall by Honorary Patron, Judith Brooks and Executive Chairman of the Lancashire Sinfonietta, Richard Hooper. He will also become "Young Composer in Residence" for the season, working with the orchestra on further commissions and in the orchestra's vibrant Education Programme.
10th Anniversary Season
The Lancashire Sinfonietta is enjoying its’ 10th
Anniversary Season in 2005/06. The celebrations
centre around 10 exciting concerts across the region
and a special Education Programme has been developed
for the anniversary. “10dyssey” has
received Arts
Council funding for a series of workshops,
projects and performances based on Homer’s “Odyssey” – an
epic 10-year journey with tales of fantastical
creatures, powerful Gods, sea-bound adventures
and romance.
There is also a new line of merchandise with some colourful Warhol-like Lancashire roses – fantastic presents for all ages.
Lancashire Sinfonietta Friends – Get Closer!
The launch of the Lancashire Sinfonietta “Friends” has been hugely successful, with more than 120 people joining in the first few concerts of the season. The orchestra is welcoming its’ new Friends with open arms and has lots of ways in which they can get closer. Open rehearsals are a great way for Friends to see the preparation process for our concerts and a fascinating insight into the working lives of our professional musicians. There are regular newsletters with all the latest news and plans for the future, exclusive to Friends, and special offers on tickets and merchandise. There are also special Friends events during the year and many other benefits.
The best news is that it’s completely FREE to join! You can sign up online or join at one of our concerts.
All orchestras need Friends – join us today!
© blue frog 2008